Technology

The Outsized Optimism Of The Entrepreneur

10:26am May 22, 2015

by Rachel Martin

You might think a great idea plus hard work equals business success, but the math is seldom simple. Two entrepreneurs, one whose venture failed and one who's still going, tell why they took the risk.

Queue Listen Now

Four different apps can sometimes present four different routes. Screenshots of a few of the apps All Things Considered host Robert Siegel tested, from left to right: Google Maps, Inrix, Nokia Here, and Apple Maps.

National

The Tech Behind Traffic Apps: How (Well) Do They Work?

10:24am May 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

A host of apps aim to take the guesswork out of navigating traffic. We put their accuracy to the test in a daily commute. As varied as the options are, the future of mobile GPS may be more precise.

Queue Listen Now

Medical ethicist Harvey Fineberg says "neo-evolution" is on the horizon.

How Could Technology Change The Way We Evolve?

9:01am May 22, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

Medical ethicist Harvey Fineberg says "neo-evolution" is on the horizon. When it becomes easier to eliminate disease through gene therapy, will we change the trajectory of evolution?

Queue Listen Now

States with implemented or planned online voter registration.

Cheap And Fast, Online Voter Registration Catches On

1:23am May 22, 2015

by Pam Fessler

Twenty states have implemented online voter registration and seven are expected to follow. It has Republican and Democratic support, but some still worry about cyberthreats.

Queue Listen Now

#MotorCityDrive: Is Detroit's Economic Engine Roaring Back To Life?

8:29pm May 21, 2015

by Michel Martin

Michel Martin heads to Detroit for a live conversation with some of the creative forces fueling the Motor City's economy. She'll ask: What's driving Detroit's future now?

National

Muddled Messages In America's Past

6:17pm May 21, 2015

by Linton Weeks

Communication breakdown is not a new phenomenon. American history features a mass — and a mess — of misunderstood messages.

A view of the central area of Atlassian's office in San Francisco. The software company found that desks were used only 20 percent of the workday — half as much as conference rooms were used.

Economy

How A Bigger Lunch Table At Work Can Boost Productivity

3:09pm May 20, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

Some firms use motion sensors and wireless tags to find out how people actually work. That can yield useful data — like which free snacks tend to attract people to break rooms more than others.

Queue Listen Now

U.S. Charges 6 Chinese Nationals With Stealing Tech Secrets

12:09pm May 20, 2015

by Anthony Kuhn

A 32-page indictment by federal prosecutors charges the six with economic espionage and trade secret theft. They are accused of stealing wireless technology from a pair of U.S. companies.

Queue Listen Now

A Reddit mascot is shown at the company's headquarters in San Francisco. Reddit has published a new policy aimed at harassment on the site.

National

Reddit's New Harassment Policy Aimed At Creating A 'Safe Platform'

8:20pm May 19, 2015

by NPR Staff

Interim CEO Ellen Pao says the site wants to encourage a variety of views, within limits. "It's not our site's goal to be a completely free-speech platform. We want to be a safe platform," she says.

Queue Listen Now

The National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md.

National

As Congress Haggles Over Patriot Act, We Answer 6 Basic Questions

8:18pm May 19, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

If you haven't been paying attention, here's a primer on the changes Congress is considering making to U.S. surveillance practices.